COLUMBIA TWP. — A Columbia Township resident said he is hoping to cut through procedural red tape and revive a local cable access channel dormant since July.

Brian Johnson, who owns Verge Technologies LLC in Commerce Township, said he wants to put local government and community programming back on the air through The People Channel.

“There is an opportunity here to get some public notification of events and programming that is owed to the public by law,” Johnson said. “We have a channel that could exist but doesn’t exist,” he said.

Before the channel can be revived, a board that oversees the operations must be formed, Johnson said.

Just who has the authority to do so has yet to be established, however, creating what he called a stumbling block as he works with regulators to put the channel back on the air.

The People Channel went off the air in July due to dwindling interest. The channel was broadcast primarily to Brooklyn and surrounding townships in Jackson, Hillsdale and Lenawee counties.

Johnson said the channel needs fresh ideas to once again make it a part of the greater Irish Hills community. He said he has heard positive feedback from local officials about his wanting to put the channel back on the air.

“We would love to see the People Channel up and running again,” said Brooklyn-Irish Hills Chamber of Commerce Director Cindy Hubbell. “The chamber and its members would like to utilize the channel and promote our calendar of events.”

The People Channel was funded by sponsorships and a franchise fee collected through area cable providers, which in turn was given to the channel’s board of directors.